Need some 5S starter kit info.

There are a lot of meanings for 5S but where I work, 5S is a component of quality. Here's a website that may explain it.

http://www.graphicproducts.com/tutorials/five-s/index.php

Thank you Vulcan, this is quite helpful.

thanx for information

Stainless Steel Sh*t Shifting Shovel?

Al

http://www.productionmachining.com/columns/0707pmpa4.html

I will send you a pdf of a powerpoint on 5-S That I have presented probably a dozen times or so a round the country. if you'll send to me your real email. I haven't been able to insert pdf's onto this forum.

The Toyota Way has a nice chapter on this topic as well http://tinyurl.com/yo6gwf

To send me your email privately, just click on my name/link at top of this message.

milo

Would it be possible to also get that file , My email is Dstalcup@metalsales.us.com

I had never heard of "5s" before, thinking that Reza had somehow mixed it up with 6S or 6-Sigma, until I used the link provided by Mr. Vulcan. Now I see it is just a formalized way of implementing what should be common sense and plain old "good manufacturing practices". Manufacturing Engineers, Tooling Engineers, Industrial Engineers, etc. have been doing these things for a long time, they just never had a name to give it.

One thing I disagree with, as an experienced Manufacturing Engineer, who often needed to come up with innovative solutions on a shoestring budget, is the rule in the first S, Sort, that anything that is unused for a long period of time should be discarded or otherwise disposed of. To an extent, I do agree with this, especially if there are machines or other devices whose components are worn out or that would cost more to fix than they are worth. However, often times this old equipment can be cannibalized, either to provide spare parts for other, still working machines, or to re-use some components in newly built equipment.

One factor in this is whether or not it is economical to store the old equipment. If storage costs are more than nominal (occupying unused floor space in the plant or yard space outside), that one must take a good hard look at the value of your "boneyard". However, in many cases, the "boneyard" can yield many otherwise very expensive components that can solve current problems.

One case in point occurred while I was a Manufacturing Engineer installing a new production line that required high-volume bursts of pneumatic power. Unfortunately, our existing air compressor and pressure tank and the long run of pneumatic pipe from the compressor to the production line could not always accommodate these surges, and pressure dropped, making the equipment ineffective (sufficient pressure was required to sustain the required torque of an air-motor powered screwdriver). The solution was to provide a localized pressure reservoir, but purchasing a new tank was an expensive proposition, and difficult to justify based on the sporadic problem.

Scouring the "boneyard" I found an old LP gas tank (long since opened up and aired out thoroughly) that fit the bill perfectly and with a little help from the maintenance department, sandblasting, welding a few minor leaks, and repainting to match the production line equipment, we had a very nice surge reservoir installed for practically nothing.

Also, I cannot count the times that air cylinders, electric motors, solenoid actuators, hydraulic valves, and other components have been re-used by stripping them off of obsolete equipment and using them on "home-brewed" devices designed to support production and make people's jobs easier. Sometimes, you just need to gather components to prototype something, to make a "proof-of-concept", which you do not intend to use long term, and so do not want to invest in purchasing new parts. The "boneyard" is often the perfect place to find such components. Then with that experience, the design can be refined, and the final components needed for the production machine(s) can be purchased, or the design can be sent out for contract manufacturing, if equipment building is not be your organization's forte.

Like any popularized "Program" or "Process", you need to evaluate just exactly how "5s" can apply to YOUR organization, and don't necessarily take everything it says as a "Gospel" truth or unbending rule.

I agree with STL - we broke up our initial forays into '5-S' for our Manufacturing plants into different departmental attempts - with varying degrees of success at first, but it is an iterative process - keep trying.

Some groups tried to throw away the valuable obvious items mentioned by STL Engineer - actuators, controls, valves, surge tanks, aluminum construction bar etc - don't think that was the intent - rather to create a supermarket area where valuable items like these can be sorted into, kept, and USED over and over without always buying MORE and tying up valuable cash into slow (or not) moving inventory -

Of course, some of our more frugal users kept the old pieces of sandpaper that still had corner or two that might be useful -

Our BEST Effort came after several attempts in approaching a new area like this -

a) find all the items that can be taken away from an area by the leasts skilled personnel to an pre-deteremined sort table - (this may involve engineering re-engineering to reduce number of tools required or standarizing elements)

b) have a very simple sort process - perhaps by raw material - metal (brass, iron etc) versus plastic or fits into a 3" x 3" box versus a 5" x 5" etc at a predetermined catch area (note having 'a' or ONE)

c) have a 'landing bay' for the items sorted in b) above to land after having been checked as 'still good' - this visual area might be marked to be stored by height etc like a thermometer - in the Green (highest) supply is ok, used down to Yellow - start thinking about replenishment (depends on lead time), used down to Red - make sure some are coming and prepare to receive the incoming new stock etc - these painted colors can vary by product depending on cost and lead time etc.

d) have shopping lists made up for new activity to pull from these stores to set up next activities

In this way, the newest employees get trained quickly to help tear down after finishing one activity, then learn to sort, then to determine usefullness and put away, then how to help order replacements and pull from stock to set up for the next jobs -adding each new learning activity makes each new employee more valuable quickly.

Keys -

Visual, (fast) sortable, storable, sustainable, trainable on next step within 30 seconds -

good luck -

We began implementing 5S in our offices. We started by sorting things, mostly paper, and eliminated those that we didn't need (surprising how much rubbish you can accumulate over the years).

Then we put things in order by having "a place for everything" and "everything in its place". Each item is classified and has its own container (a binder, a folder, envelope, etc.). Each is so placed depending on how frequently I use it. Close by for those items that I constantly use and out of sight for those that I rarely use.

Now that the system is in place, you have to keep at it to maintain the orderliness of your office. From time to time you go back to sorting just in case you start collecting useless things again. Also, you may find that your first attempt at classification or categorizing needs to change. You constantly look for ways to improve.

The most difficult part is sustaining the program. Occasionally, especially during hectic periods, your system starts to fall apart and you have to go back to sorting.

The thing is that you need to keep doing it. 5S is not something that you do once and it takes care of itself thereafter. It takes effort and discipline.

Right now I feel the need for a little discipline again...time to sort again .

did you ever get enough information to get a good start on your 5-S project? Jim